Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has swapped scepticism for advocacy of nuclear power and called for Scotland to build a new generation of lower-cost reactors.
The SNP Government currently uses its control of planning law to prevent any nuclear projects from proceeding in Scotland.
Mr Cole-Hamilton told a meeting of business leaders in Inverness that his party will explore the rollout of small modular reactors (SMRs), pointing to the benefits that they could bring to sites such as Dounreay in Caithness.
“I’ve been a sceptic of nuclear power in the past, but SMRs have the potential to change the equation,” he said.
Speaking to members of the business network Prosper he said SMRs would be a solution to high energy bills and energy security by reducing the current reliance on fracked gas from the US.
“Britain’s engineering prowess could reduce our reliance on costly and volatile fossil fuels and allow us to sell products and knowledge around the world,” he said.
“However, the SNP Government’s refusal to even contemplate this next generation of nuclear energy could force expertise, jobs, investment and growth south of the border.”
He added: “The Highlands has a significant history in this regard, with Dounreay operating safely for decades, bringing in well-paid jobs to the highlands. It’s the kind of site that should be at the front of the queue for a small modular reactor, if and when the technology is proven.
SMRs, the first of which is set to be built in Anglesey, will be compact nuclear power plants built in factories and assembled on site, designed to generate low-carbon electricity more flexibly, cheaply and safely than traditional large reactors.
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